Sherlocks Second Chance
by Avatarcomeback
Summary: Sherlock spends all his new free time trying to get through to his sister. But what happens when he gets a second chance with another woman that seems just as confused and lonely as Euros? Teenage Veronica grew up in America, seems to be just as smart as any of the Holmes siblings, and when she seems to turn down the wrong path she ends up becoming a Ward to one Sherlock Holmes.
1. The first meeting

Everyone knows Sherlock Holmes. He's been the head of almost every major crime story as the hero. The British based detective is one of a kind, wanting to help in a way his older brother didn't find that line of work decent at all.

Only a select few know about the youngest Holmes sibling. Sherlock visits every chance he gets, plays with her, tells her about his day. He tries to get her out of herself.

She even had a live stream to his wedding and he was told she clapped and cried happy tears, still not speaking. In his absence Sherlock made sure that his parents got to visit her while he took his honeymoon. But even that was cut short by his brother insisting he was needed on the island.

"What was so important that I cut my time short with Molly?" Sherlock snapped at his brother as they walked through Sherrinford. There seemed to be more security and Sherlock was really hoping it didn't mean Euros was making a mess again.

"We have a new guest. Though she is still young I have a feeling that she can be useful." Mycroft swiped his card and pushed open a door that led into a room with just a two way mirror.

"What do you mean by useful? Keep her locked up until she too breaks down?" Sherlock still hadnt forgiven Mycroft for keeping her existence a secret.

"No. I figured now that your married you might want a ward of your own." The doors opened on the other side of the glass and in walked a skinny, bored looking teenager. She moved to the seat and sat down and put her head back and started to whistle.

"Who is she?" Sherlock asked as he tried to find something about her. She was wearing her own clothes but she seemed normal.

"Name is Veronica Skyes. American. Has gotten in a lot of trouble across the pond, and each time she saves herself with a giant bust for the locals. Now she refuses to work with anyone. Would rather sit in jail. Interpol has her in custody and transferred her to me." Mycroft told Sherlock and he moved to lean to the side to see Sherlock's face.

He was watching her, intently. "I can't find a thing-"

"I can't either. She's too young. Been in custody too long. She needs time. And who better to help her than the man who knows how to cope. Someone who helped his own sister." Mycroft sighed and looked at both his brother and the girl in the room. "Have a call to Molly, tell her you two are taking on a ward."

"You do it. You impose it then you shall tell her. I shall go in and speak with my new ward." Sherlock looked to his brother and noticed the slight paleness of him now. "She told you to shove it one time and to never call her Miss. She was right, she is a doctor." Sherlock smirked and moved out of the room before pulling his own key card out so he could enter the same room as her.

"Am I going to eat any time soon?" Her voice wasn't demanding or irritated, just simply curious and she lifted her head and looked at him. "You wouldn't know." She crosses her arms and looked him over before getting a slight smile of her own.

"What do you see?" He asked her and held out his hands and stayed standing.

"Newly married, have a cat but you hate it, rich from the whole custom suit. Usually unhappy. You hate this place. You didn't know why you were here until you met me. You think you can help which is why you see happier right now. You're the brother of that man with the umbrella that loves sweets too much and... I'm going to guess drug addict over alcoholic." She set her hand on the table and drummed her fingers to a beat.

"That all?" He asked and moved to sit down, taking off his Belstaff and rolling up his sleeves.

"Play the violin."

"Interesting. How would you know that?" He asked knowing he hadn't played in a week in a half and most signs of that were gone.

"The way you tilt your head. You stop at the point at which a violin would rest and don't ever let your cheek touch your shoulder." She told him and shrugged.

"Anything else?"

"Smoker. Or you're trying to quit. The smell is on your jacket but the stains under your nails are almost gone so recently stopped or recently became less stressed. No need to smoke now." She sighed and Sherlock knew the look on her face. She was bored with him.

"Tell me more about my brother." He encouraged and she sighed.

"If this is a game I don't like it. I'm hungry. A donut or whatever from your brother would work wonders for that problem of mine." She told him and she smirked as the door opened and on walked Mycroft with a small pink box and slid it on the table.

"Can I go back to my little cell now?" She asked picking out a chocolate and taking a bite.

"Afraid you're not going to a cell Veronica." Sherlock told her and she continued to eat.

"And where is it I shall be going?" She could tell it wasn't another prison, but she couldn't tell what the brothers seem to want to do.

"You're now my ward." Sherlock told her and she just laughed.

"First I get hands on correctional officers, then a gun on me at all times, then a transfer to a private island for the UKs mass criminals... now I'm a ward of a former junky and recently married man who has never taken care of anything." She laughed and shook her head.

"How would you know?" Sherlock asked with a slight sneer.

"Ooooh defensiveness means you want to. Or did you want children with the little wife?" Veronica had a smile on her face now.

"Yes." He told her and looked to Mycroft. "Heli better be ready and Molly better of been called." Sherlock opened the door and looked back at Veronica. "Hope you don't get air sick." He told her and Veronica moved to stand.

"Nope." She smirked in Mycrofts face as she took yet another donut. "Working out won't help if you keep eating sugars." She told him and Sherlock smirked and waited for her just outside the door.

They made their way to the heli pad on the roof and she watches it land. Neither Sherlock or her ducked as they got closer to their ride. Mycroft watched them depart and had an odd sense that something had been put right.


	2. A little bit of information

Veronica sat in the cab, silent, looking out the window and around at the people. Sherlock was typing away on his phone with a scowl on his face before sighing loudly and pocketing the phone.

"Trouble in paradise already? You couldn't be married more than a month." She muttered and shook her head.

"Less than two weeks actually. And that wasn't my wife I was texting." He told her and she shrugged, seeming to not care. He noticed her watching the signs more than the people and made sure to be ready in case she decided to try and run.

But they got to Baker St without her making any moves and as they got out she stood on the side and looked at the cafe with a look of disgust.

"Deduce." He instructed her and she looked at him.

"They are low income, not many clients. Just looking at the place makes me wonder how they pass the inspection." She shrugged and looked at him. "I know we're not eating there so which house is yours?"

He moved towards the door and she followed almost silent into the small house and she looked around. "How does a grown man stay in an apartment even when he's married. I thought you were well off." She muttered as they went up the stairs. "That's right... repressed emotions you and your brother both." She snapped as they got to his floor and he pushed open the door.

"Molly!" Sherlock gave a shout and watched Veronica as she moved around the living room.

"Aww you have a best friend. Is that who upset you in the cab?" He watched her run a finger over Johns chair before looking at the papers stuck in the mantel.

"Just finished the room upstairs. The windows open to air out the smell of unuse." Molly walked in and stood beside her husband and looked at the girl by the fireplace.

"The little wife. Hello." She walked closer and held out her hand. "You work with dead people! Awesome!" She seemed almost excited to talk about that and Molly gave a shy smile.

"I'm Molly. Mycroft didn't tell me your name." She held out her hand and waited.

"Veronica... but since I like you already you can call me Ronnie." She told her and gave her hand a shake before looking around. "Did he marry you for the body parts?" She asked as she moved her interest into the kitchen.

"No." Sherlock snapped and Veronica turned and smirked.

"Then why buy the milk when you get the cow for free?" Veronica wanted to push him. See how far she could.

"Sherlock!" Another male voice echoed and she walked around knowing it was the best friend now making an appearance.

"John." Molly called back when she noticed Sherlock was watching the girl.

"Has he gone mad? Adoption?" He got to the top of the stairs and Veronica saw it all right away.

"Afraid it has something to do with me being able to do what he does." She said and caught the mans attention.

"And what does he do?" John crosses his arms and while Sherlock moved forward to stop her before she opened her mouth she saw the opening and took it.

"You're his best friend, a widow, used to live here. Have a little girl no more than 4 years old. Doctor but also have a cold look in your eye when you think you need to be protective so I would say military or Ex military since you again used to live here. You lost your wife a while ago but still haven't gotten over it: haven't moved on. Maybe because you are the reason she died or because you did something to betray her. Any normal man would try to move on after 2 years. You like working with Sherlock because it helps you in a way-"

"Veronica... are you hungry?" Molly cut her off and she looked over to Molly.

"Yes all a Mycroft gave me was two donuts." She waved her hand and went back to looking around.

"Impossible." John looked at the teenager and crossed his arms. "Is she yours officially?"

"Mycroft will have it all done within the week." Sherlock knee his brother well enough.

"Why didn't he take her?"

"Because I don't help out queen and country. Plus that's all boring. Don't know how his brother stays in it. He envies Sherlock's job." Veronica called out as Molly started to make her a sandwich.

"So she is going to be working with us?" John asked Sherlock and he looked over to Veronica as she ate and nodded slowly. "Not going to school?"

"Why would I go to school. It's boring and repetitive and a waste of time." Veronica moves to sit in Sherlock's chair, not caring in the least that he seemed peeved at her for doing so.

"Schooling is a waste of time." John repeated and she looked at him with her mouth full and then to Sherlock.

Once she finished she swallowed and looked back to John. "Does he repeat things like that a lot? That's annoying." She commented before finishing off her sandwich.

"Sometimes he does." Sherlock admitted and looked away from John.

"Is there a way to get some of my things so I can shower? I smell of sea water and it's doing nothing for my hair." She pulled at the ends and wrinkled her face.

"Actually were going shopping." Sherlock announced making both sets of eyes turn to him while Veronica just stood ready to go.

"You're going to go shopping. With her? I could never get you to step out for milk." John was enraged and Veronica rolled her eyes.

"He wants to figure me out John. He thinks if he watches me in an environment where I get to make all the decisions he will get to know me." She patted his shoulder and moved past him. "Can the little wife come?" She smiled at Molly and looked back to Sherlock.

"I can if you need me to." Molly wasn't sure how comfortable Veronica was, but she wanted her to have at least one person to trust.

"I don't need you to, I just want to ask you questions." She told her and looked to Sherlock. "The sooner we go the sooner we get back and I can get this smell off me." She encouged and he nodded and looked to John.

The three set off to find a cab before they got to the shops. Molly made sure to ask if she wanted certain things like her own soap and blankets for her room and Sherlock pushed the trolley around the store. Collecting items like pencils and paper and notebooks.

Molly and her planned to do a bit of studying at the morgue since she knew Sherlock would let her. They got simple smelling items and when they passed the candle section he noticed her looking at them longer than usual.

"Would you like to pick some out?" He asked and she had an internal debate on whether or not she wanted to give him a leg up. "No deductions." He offered out and she gulped and twisted her fingers. He couldn't stop what was going on in his brain but he wouldn't talk to anyone but Molly about it.

It took her five minutes to find the scent she liked, and then she grabbed two and put them in the basket.

"So, Veronica do you play any instruments?" Molly asked as they got in line.

"Why do you ask?" She set her hands in her pockets and waited.

"Sherlock plays the violin when he needs to think or ease his mind... just though maybe you did the same. We might be able to look for what you play. After all Mycroft is paying for everything." Molly insisted and Veronica sighed and looked away.

"What is it?" Sherlock asked as they became next in line.

"Cello." She told him and he narrowed his eyes and nodded before he looked to Molly.

"I know the place to get one. We can head there after we get clothes." He told them both and Molly moved to stand beside him, her arm now around his and Veronica tried not to watch as she told him something and he kissed her softly.

She moved forward when they were called as next and she stood back as Sherlock used Mycrofts black card.

They were out do the store not fast enough. The married couple holding hands and Veronica trying not to say something.

As they got closer to the shops for clothes she started to see lots of kids her age, and she seemed to want to stay away.

Molly noticed how she didn't keep up and pulled on Sherlock before she nodded back to her.

Sherlock looked back and noticed that she was uncomfortable and seemed to want to steer clear of her own age group. Something even he went through in school.

"Just don't look the idiots in the eye." He was racking up the deductions in his head about her and as he guided her through the store he noticed just how much she was like him.

She drifted towards the nice function clothing. She pulled jeans more than dresses or skirts, she pulled regular plain shirts without logos and he let Molly help her with the underwear and bra department.

Racking up the bills as they took off now to set things back at the flat so she could now shower, Sherlock sent a text to Mycroft that they were heading to a shop and then to get a phone for Veronica.

"Sherlock!" Molly called making him move to the other side of the flat.

"Yes?" He asked and she bit her lip and waved him closer.

"What is her story?" She asked and he just moved to sit down.

"We don't know all the facts." Sherlock told And was worried that she was stressing too much about it since she was pacing.

"Does she have family in the US?" She asked and he sighed.

"I haven't gotten her file yet. Mycroft is waiting for it all to arrive before sending it all over to me." Sherlock told her and moved to snag her wrist before getting her to sit beside him and he pulled one of her knees over his and gave it a squeeze before looking over to the door close to the bathroom.

He was still waiting for Veronica to be done, and when she finally made her appearance her hair was still dripping wet, she had a pair of clean jeans, a nice shirt, and new socks. "Ahh, great timing. Molly and I were just thinking about dinner. What do you prefer?" Sherlock asked and while he was trying to get more information out of her, he also wanted the ideas for food.

"I don't care, though I am allergic to Lemons." She moved to get her boots, the ones she had been given on the way to Sherrinford. Standing once she was done tying them up she moved to get the jacket she had gotten and slipping it on.

"How about burgers. I am sure there is a place-"

"I do not eat McDonalds." Veronica spoke up quickly, another look of disgust on her face and Sherlock just nodded.

"I was thinking about that shop... I believe it was Five Guys?" Molly spoke to both of them and while Veronica shrugged Sherlock made a face. "I will get you fish and chips... but that means you two are going to be alone while I make the stops." She tip toed gave Sherlock a peck before going to Veronica. "Tell me what you would like on it."

Veronica gave the order and waited as Molly left for Sherlock to get a move on. He took her downstairs, introduced her to Mrs. Hudson... it went over well, no extra lip from her but Sherlock cut off their first meeting quickly and ushered them out the door.

"Tell me... I haven't got your file yet, how big is it?" He asked her and she looked at him and then towards the streets again.

"Depends on what you're looking to find in there. I bet there is records of everything I ever said. There is a record of my family, what they think growing up for me was like, what the doctors say. There is a record of my reporting being raped by the correctional officers in New York. Nothing was done of course, therapist said I was lying because I didn't like the food of all things to blame it on."


	3. Not a prisoner

Sherlock didn't ask anymore questions about her file. But as soon as they were at the instrument store he sent a text off to Mycroft to get the file complete with a rape accusation and to see to it those she accused got their justice.

She walked around the store, doing a few chords on the piano and moving around until she saw a cello. She seemed hesitant so Sherlock moved and plucked it off the wall before letting her sit on the bench before getting her a bow.

"How long has it been since you got to play?" He asked her when she again hesitated to start playing.

"Almost a year." She told him before setting the strings correctly and then raising the bow. Sherlock heard someone walk closer and realized it was the teenager working at the moment. He was simply waiting to see what she was going to play.

She set her posture correctly and moved forward on the seat and then she closed her eyes and started to play. He didn't recognize the tune, meaning she wrote her own. She payed and played and while Sherlock could tell she was talented he could also tell she was playing her life experiences.

When she finished the teenager started clapping right away making both Veronica and Sherlock glare at him. "Sorry, Just was beautiful. Shall I wrap and ring up the cello for you both?" He seemed awkward and genuinely embarrassed so Sherlock just gave him a nod and moved to take it from Veronica.

They got it tucked away in a case, she got enough roslin for a year that usually only last Sherlock a couple months and then they made their way out.

Sherlock insisted on carrying it to the phone store where they got a simple smart phone, traceable by Sherlock's if it ever came to that, and with all the things she would need.

"And here I thought I was a prisoner." She laughed as she tucked the phone away and looked at Sherlock. "Why are you letting me be your ward or whatever? You can't seriously adopt me." Veronica asked as they looked around for a cab to take them back to Baker St.

"I have a sister." He told her and she just waited. "I don't remember her. She's only a year below me... but has always been far superior. She is living on that island where I met you." He told her and she tilted her head.

"She's with the cannibals and terroists?"

"She was locked up from a very young age. She killed my childhood best friend, tried to kill me and all my family. Set a fire in our house. Set a fire in the place they were keeping her before they took her to Sherrinford. About a year ago she tried to kill John, pretended to almost blow Molly up, and that's when she broke. Not a word or sound besides our violin playing since."

"So... because I'm 17, and have been incarcerated in some ways since I was 14, you guys all want to make sure I don't do the same thing? Well I can't. I don't have family." She crossed her arms and watched as he hailed a cab.

"We want to... I want to make sure you don't end up being nothing more than a shell of a person in American prison." He told her and she tilted her head again before they got into the cab.

"So you think of you fix me you don't have to fix your sister? Are you going to stop going to see her?" The tone she used made Sherlock realize that yes she had siblings, and the one she was closest to was her sister.

"We've realized with her that planning, though she doesn't talk, is what stabilizes her moods. I was on a case a couple months ago, couldn't make it to see her, she tried to run head first into a concrete wall because she was so sure she was forgotten again."

"Did you see her today?" She asked and Sherlock shook his head.

"She doesn't think I will be back until next Monday. I will see her then." That was days away.

"Where are you supposed to be?" She asked and he shot a look to her and then the people outside.

"Normal people call it a honeymoon." He told her and she smirked and tried not to laugh as she looked away.

They made it all the way back without speaking another word and as they went upstairs Molly was talking a mile a minute about the food and how she cleared and set the table.

She looked frazzled and worried and Veronica just relaxed.

"Molly... I like you. You're good people... but we didn't have a fight, we don't hate each other, there is no need to fill the silence." Veronica cut her off as she started to talk about the weather for the rest of the week.

"Shall we eat then." Sherlock grabbed his fish and chips while kissing Molly on the cheek and whispering something in her ear.

"Okay." Molly grabbed her own burger and Veronica could tell she only got to make she feel like she didn't go out of her way for her and she moved to sit in Johns chair.

Veronica ate quickly and dipped her Cajun fries in the BBQ sauce. Molly kept glancing at her and while it was weird at first, now it was getting annoying.

"Ask the question you want to know Molly." She told her and moved to set things away from her so she could wipe her fingers.

"Where did you come from? I mean... which state?" Molly blinked hard and Veronica just seemed like she didn't want to answer. "I'm sorry, it's just you don't sound southern or like you're from New York-"

"I don't know where I was born. I've never seen my birth certificate. I grew up in Florida and New York and DC. Less than 6 years in each place. My mom liked to love around a lot and I didn't have a dad. My older sister and I usually tried to go to school, but eventually our mom stopped caring if we were even signed up each year, so my sister started to teach me and she got her GED while I didn't need to learn anything more. I was doing AP chemistry from a book I found in the library and I wanted to test out something so I broke into a college." Molly had her hand on her mouth, looking worried.

"First offense?" Sherlock inquired and she shook her head.

"Had to steal to eat. My mom didn't care. I got arrested 3 times before I broke in. Therefore I was sentenced and put in juvenile detention for over a year. I was evaluated and then I was used to help the government." She shrugged and crossed her arms and Sherlock sneered.

"What happened to your sister?" Molly asked softly and while Sherlock could assume, he wasn't absolutely sure.

"Dead." Veronica sighed as she got up. "I'm going to sleep. I guess this time zone will become normal soon but for now I think I'll play before going to sleep." She took the cello up the stairs to her new room, noticing how Molly must have set it up for her a bit, the window was now closed and a new set of blankets were set out... and there was a lighter next to the candles near the bed.

She lit one before sitting on the bed and getting her cello out to play. She remembered Lana's favorite and started to play softly. It was something from Phantom of the Opera. All I ask of you.

Once the melody reached Sherlock and Molly they decided to just listen to her play.

"I wonder where she was taught." Molly whispered and he waved her to sit on his lap and she moved quickly and he held her there.

"As smart as she is, she probably taught herself. Where the want to learn came from is the more important." He told her and sighed leaning his head back.

"What has that girl gone through?" Molly asked on a worried sound and Sherlock rubbed her lower back.

"She was raped. Not believed... which is why she stopped helping the Americans. I've got Mycroft dealing out punishments. I'm sure she will become a citizen of our great nation the minute the adoption is done."

"What can we do for her Sherlock?" He felt Molly hold back a sob. He didn't understand why she was more upset than Veronica had been, but then his wife was always emotional when it came to children.

"We can see her as a person and not a victim. We can treat her like she is just like me. Correct her when she over steps, teach her that because something bad happened doesn't mean she lets it affect her future. She will learn." He sounded hopeful and Molly just leaned against him.

"Do you think John will like her?"

"I think John will hate two of me." Sherlock laughed lightly before kissing Molly's neck. "But he will grow to like her for what he will learn. She's like Mary in a certain way that I can't place yet, but I see it." Sherlock told her and she nodded.

"Shall we try and be her parents?" Molly asked almost silently and Sherlock thought about it.

"How would you treat her? As a mother?"

"She can go on cases with you or she can go to the morgue with me. I'm sure Mycroft wants her to be with us for a reason. She can have free time doing whatever she wants, but that has to come after we trust each other. She gets grounded if she is mean or doesn't listen." She told him and he seemed to not like that last part and she sat up.

"Where Do you think you're going?" He asked her as she seemed to want to get up and he wrapped his arms around her middle.

"Well we cant just shag anytime we want anymore. She's upstairs and could head everything. Never thought of this problem. But maybe over the sounds of a shower we could be quieter." She leaned over and kissed his neck and he moved just after her as she got up.

"I wonder how quiet you can be." He quipped as he ushered her towards the door. "Now the real question is should we still keep trying for a baby with no room to turn into a nursery." He asked her, helping her out of her polka dot shirt and moving to take off the tank top and then finally her bra.

"We don't have to try... but we don't have to prevent it." She shrugged and laughed as Sherlock simply smirked and worked at her jeans.

"You Dr. Holmes better be pregnant within six months of our wedding vows so I could win the bet John placed. He thinks we won't ever have kids." He pushed and pulled at his own shirt as she moved to slightly bend over to turn on the shower.

"Would he not want another mini you hanging around? Besides the miraculous one now upstairs?" She giggles and Sherlock just smirked as he pushed her under the water not caring if it was still too cold.


	4. Undercover

While Sherlock didn't sleep much Veronica ended up sleeping half the day away. Sherlock made a note that she was paranoid of any man working in the area while she was locked up. He somehow realized though, that since she did sleep so much that she must feel somewhat comfortable in Baker St.

Sherlock has gone to bed after 11 and woke up before 8. Molly had an early shift and told Sherlock to bring her down when she woke up.

It was just after 10 in the morning when she came downstairs, dressed and fully aware of things. She noted him and moved to sit down on the couch and just waited.

"Do you have a case? Or do you just sit like that for no reason?" She asked when he seems to just sit there.

"Waiting for John he usually reads out the emails." He told her and she rolled her eyes.

"Don't you know how to read?"

"Yes but I get bored and annoyed by stupid people sending in things like 'my rabbit ran away' so John reads through them." Sherlock shrugged and Veronica moved closer to him and held out her hand.

"Give me what he reads from. I can't believe you wait for something to do." She took the laptop he had nodded to and opened it up to see the email already popped open.

Just as she started to respond to one about a woman's boyfriend asking her to get an HIV test Sherlock's phone started to ring.

"Yes?" Sherlock smirked as he listened. "Johns not with me so give him a separate call. We will be there shortly. Have the bodies ready to be sent to Molly." He hung up without a bye and she just waited.

"Three murders with pentagrams cut into the hands and drawn all over the walls of the room." He told her and she sighed.

"It's drizzling outside. Where is the jacket I had yesterday?" She stood and placed the laptop I the chair before Sherlock directed her to where Molly had hung it up.

"Do you have any questions?" Sherlock asked her as they made their way downstairs.

"Breakfast on the way?" He grumbled something about eating while on a case before letting her stop and get something sweet.

They arrived shortly after John, and but the shocked look on his face he did not expect Veronica to be there.

"Morning." He nodded at her and she nodded.

"So it is." She told me and looked at the outside of the house. "So is this middle class for england?" She pushed open the little gate and Sherlock followed as they got closer. She was still eating her bagel as they walked in.

"Sure." Sherlock seemed to not know or care, and she realized why when they got inside, it was empty and seemed to be almost let go.

"And where are the bodies?" She asked as they made their way through. She had only a couple bites left so she hurried to chew so she wouldn't get crumbs on the bodies.

"Through the back." Came a voice and as she looked up she noticed that he was a cop and the one in charge. The one who called Sherlock. "Who is she?"

"Veronica Skyes, meet Graham Lestrade. Detective inspector and the only smart one to ever call me in on every case like this." He introduces as she finished her food and the cop walked closer.

"It's Greg." He moved to shake her hand and she just nodded to him and they moved slowly backwards. "I don't know if you want to see this-"

"She's like Sherlock, Greg. Almost to the T. Besides the fact she eats and sleeps apparently." John told the Detective and Veronica moved around him and looked around.

"Tell us what you see." Sherlock instructed her and she moved to look at each girl.

"They're classmates. Maybe 16. Live close by. Guessing dead less than 12 hours." She shrugged and looked at the knife marks. "The person who did this knocked them out first so they could make the clean cuts. They're shallow so they didn't initially feel it being done." She added as she saw how clean the lines were.

"How old are you?" She heard the detective ask and she looked over.

"17."

"Anything else?" Sherlock tried to get her to focus and she tilted her head and looked around at the walls.

"It's staged. Whoever did the marks on them did not do the spray paint. Most likely whoever sprayed the walls did it days ago. It's dry and there is no smell." She took another sniff before smirking. "They were smoking pot though."

"Good. So who killed them?" Sherlock asked her and she just smirked.

"Someone who also goes to school and lives in the same neighborhood as them. Female, slightly OCD and bullied a lot. Most likely by them." She saw his small smile and he nodded.

"She's right?" John asked moving closer to also look at everything they had to go on.

"Since I know London better I would say there is going to be more than one bullied girl as a suspect so we can narrow that down in the lab. Bring them to Molly!" She smiled at the cop before John and moved to follow Sherlock out of the house so they could hail a cab to Bart's.

"I was sure you were going to miss the weed." Sherlock shook his head and she looked over at him.

"I almost over looked it until I moved closer to one and the smell got stronger. She's got to have some on her and not in a closed container." She told him and he seemed to nod and look around at the scenery.

"Why did you think they lived close by?" He was testing her and she knew it.

"They were wearing thin clothes, no thick jackets. It was freezing yesterday when we were out, no doubt it was colder last night. If they had taken buses or anything like that to get to the house they would have worn thicker clothes. Therefore they live close." She explained and he nodded. "Did you have all the same deductions I had?" He asked and he shrugged before looked at her.

"The house has been empty for at least a year, someone had to know that, one of the girls. One of those girls lives in the six houses that has direct line of sight from the front door. They had to have used that house to party or get high before otherwise the killer wouldn't of known where they went." She nodded and seemed not surprised.

"I thought that was obvious." She blinked at him and he just nodded.

"I find myself looking past the obvious around John and Lestrade sometimes so I always go over it for them." He shook his head and they again stayed quiet on the rest of the ride.

They got there before the bodies by just a bit, but once they walked in Molly was on the phone and held up her hand.

"One set of parents are on their way in." She said as soon as she hung up. "Lives across and to the left one house." She added and Sherlock nodded and looked around.

"Are the bodies always this late?" Veronica asked as they seemed to keep waiting.

"Seems so." Sherlock told her and she worked her jaw.

"Should get a new driver." She moved to take off her jacket and toss it over a stool.

"What kinda of samples should I get first?" Molly asked and Sherlock turned to her.

"Hair, blood, swabs of the cuts and any other kids of things abnormal looking things on their body." Veronica shrugged and they heard talking before the door opened. "Finally." She muttered when one body was wheeled in.

"Sign here for all three and I will go get the other two." The man sounded bored and tired and Veronica rolled her eyes.

Molly got the girl uncovered and on the table before going to get gloves and things to collect the samples.

It took another 20 minutes for her to repeat the process. Lestrade and John walked in, leaving a couple of parents by the door and Veronica just leaned against the wall waiting.

"They would like to speak to you Sherlock. After they identify the body." He told him and Sherlock grimaced and looked at the girls.

"Why me? You're the cop."

"They want to make sure you know how important this is to them." Lestrade told him and sighed. "I know you don't do this. I told them that, but they are adamant that you know their daughter." He told Sherlock and while he rolled his eyes he nodded.

"Might help get some leverage to look about in her room and things." He nodded to Veronica and she seemed to understand to stay in here with Molly.

"How long have they been dead?" She asked once she saw Molly taking temps and writing them down.

"I'd say closer to 10 hours. So about 1am." She told her and looked to Lestrade. "Let me cover them up properly and you can send them in. Shall we see if they know the other two?"

"Yes." He nodded and sighed. "I hate having to deal with parents." Lestrade moves closer to the door when she finished up covering them and pushed open the door when all were ready.

"Hello. My name is Molly Hooper. I'm the pathologist who is going to be helping with your daughters case. We still need a definitive answer in person and not through a picture. Tell me when you're ready to confirm." She spoke low and easy, like she had done it a million times before.

"Holmes." Sherlock pressed out and she blushed a deep red.

"Excuse me?" The father asked and looked between the two.

"She's my wife. First day back on the job after our wedding. Just introduced herself wrong." Sherlock waved away his worry and moved closer towards John. He whispered something and after a moment they moved their way over to Veronica.

It took the parents less than 15 minutes to get all the names of the three girls. Lestrade got to work on getting ahold of their parents and asking them to come in.

"I'm sorry I can't wait around for the other parents. You want me to solve your disghters murder right?" Sherlock asked the parents begging him to wait.

"Well of course but-"

"Okay then." He turned and jerked his head around and Veronica moved to follow. They left the parents and morgue and headed right for the lab.

"What do you want me to do?" She asked and looked around.

"Look up their social media things." He told her and she pulled out her phone and made an email, an instagram, a Facebook, and a Twitter. All for her private needs instead of others.

It only took her three hours to get to know all three girls and what they were up to, which school they had gone to, who their other friends were. She even came across a page that they three posted on all the time as Admins and it was a school bullying page.

She showed Sherlock the page and while it did have 'losers' on it, there were friends of the three they seemed to piss of whenever they posted something private or embarrassing.

"We've got our work cut out for us." Sherlock sighed and made a face and then stood.

"What did you get?" She asked as he got his coat on.

"Usual. All of them have used more than weed before, one smokes cigarettes, one was on an antidepressant, they all seemed to have cocaine in their system in the last week... and the one that has been confirmed, let's call her 1, was pregnant." He told her as they both made their way back to the lab.

"So now what do you do? Keep going or just hand this all over to the cop?" Veronica asked as they waited in the elevator.

"I give it to Lestrade and then keep working on it." He told her and she nodded. "How do you feel about going to the school for just a look around... you know... undercover?"


	5. Canteen

"How should we play it?" Sherlock asked her, wondering if she had done this.

"I don't know. Depends on what you want me to do. Be bullied or be a new one." She told him and leaned her head to the side as they waited in the office waiting for the headmaster.

"Be one." He told her and she nodded. "How long do you think it's going to take?"

"Depends on if I insult the girl on the first day or in a week." She told him and he just nodded at that assessment before someone opened a door.

"Mr. Holmes! A great honor to meet you. I've been a fan since Dr. Watson started the blog! How can I help you today?"

"Shall we go into your office first?" He could hear the kids now walking around outside and any of them could overhear or walk in.

"Of course." The man was in his late fifties, completely ampathetic about the bullying on in school, or just unaware. Sherlock sat down and worked his jaw before he got right to it.

"You understand that three of your students were murdered last night?" Sherlock asked him and the mans face grew sad and nodded. "We have reason to believe that it was by another student. My ward Veronica is going to kind of go undercover. She's going to bully some of the girls here until she finds out which one did the deed."

"How is she even going to be able to tell."

"She's like me in the aspect of what I can do. I believe John calls it the Deduction thing." He rolled his eyes at the needed explanation before diving in and telling the man that no matter what happened I was not to be the one punished. Told him that the reason why is that it will cause the killer to act faster.

"So she is going to bully all the kids in the school and not get punished for it?"

"Seemed you let the girls who recently died do it easily enough." Veronica spoke and narrowed her eyes. "I mean they bullied someone so much that the only way they thought it would stop was to kill them."

"Veronica enough." Sherlock told her and he saw her gaze to him before hugging and crossing her arms.

"I'll admit we don't have a real program or way to deal with bullying at this school. But it wasn't a huge problem a couple months ago."

"Not true... but for now we need to get to work. Put her in all the same classes as Brooke Winston had. Might get something faster. Also going to need their school records." Sherlock stated and leaned back. "And a quiet place to look them over as I fake filling out forms for Veronica to go here."

"Right, okay... I shall get the records as well as make a schedule for her to follow." He told them and Veronica sighed and looked around.

"It's about lunch right?" She asked Sherlock and he nodded. "Shall I go and find the cafeteria?" She asked but she stood and moved to fix her jacket. He handed over some cash before she could move to open the door.

"Sure. It's called a canteen." Sherlock advises her and she just nodded and pushed open the door. He watched her fix her hair in the small mirror before looking back to him. He gave her a nod and she walked off and stuff the money in her back pocket.

She walked around the school, taking in little details, noticing the place boys liked to fight, running into a few couples making out like horny teenagers.

She got to the canteen as labeled and pushed open both doors and started to swing her hips as she went to look at the food. Her stomach started to turn at what she saw.

"Don't worry, it's left over day. Fridays are the days everyone usually skips lunch. I'm Deacon. I usually give tour guides." A teenager about 17 spoke next to Veronica and she turned. The things she saw right away told her he was a nice guy, virgin, athletic in some ways. Sort of smart.

"I've just moved here, checking out schools." She told him quick and saw the surprise at her American accent.

"I've never met an American before... did you get a tour yet? From a teacher or the headmaster?" He asked her and she shook her head. "Well this is the canteen, and just out there is the field." He pointed out and she looked before looking back around.

"Lots of kids... what kind of advanced classes does the school offer?" She asked somewhat internally wondering if he even knew or cared... not that he would see the inside of a class.

"Did they not tell your parents?" He asked and she sighed.

"I guess I can go and see for myself." She turned to leave and he asked for her to stop. "I'll go and find someone smarter don't worry." She waved him off and headed for a table of boys playing some kind of card game and as she got closer they all looked at her. "Hello nerds. Can you tell me what kind of advanced classes this school has?" She felt a bit horrible for being mean without knowing any of them but they all seemed to not care since she was a girl and talking to them.

"Every kind of advanced classes from music to math or science... is there one class you're interested in?" One almost stuttered out and she just smirked and turned. She made her way over to the girls who were whispering and looking at her and she smirked.

"Are you The wanna be cool girls?" Veronica asked and cocked her hip before laughing.

"Hag." Someone hissed and she rolled her eyes before walking around some more.

"Loner, stoners, idiots, brains in the beiceps, and then the pretty ones who wear too much makeup, weigh less than 110 pounds... and think they're cool." Veronica shook her head and turned. "Boring school cliques." She moved to get something to drink rather than eat and as she moved to drink the hot tea.

She sat in the corner, looking at everyone. Seeing everything and getting a headache the longer she sat. She didn't even notice when Sherlock had come in to get her. He had to sit down and give her time to stop.

He knew the look on her face. He had the same for days after his return to college, or the other schools he had attended. It was too much information for her. She was taking it all in and trying to sort it. He had to wonder if she had made a place for her thoughts like he had.

"Veronica?" Sherlock called her name softly as the kids filed out to head back to classes.

"Yes." She whispered back to him and seemed to try and pull her mind back to the front so she could pay attention.

"Shall we go back to Baker St. now?" He saw the moment she had put it all inside and focused on him.

"Yes." She told him and he nodded and stood. They were quiet as they made their way out of the school.

She went to lay on the couch as they got there and simply closed her eyes. He went to sit in his chair and he simply waited. Sorting through his own mind palace until he heard Molly coming up the stairs.

Veronica heard it too because her eyes popped open and she sat up and looked around. She seemed to relax and Sherlock narrowed his eyes a bit before Molly burst through the door in the kitchen calling his name, saying that they overdosed on heroin laced marijuana and one out of three parents believed it was on purpose because their daughter was highly suicidal and always depressed.

"That doesn't sound correct for number 1 which one was it?" Veronica asked and Molly looked a little confused.

"Her name is Amber Fo-"

"Ahh 3. Yes she had slight scaring on her ankles right?" Veronica asked and Molly nodded. "Is there food?" She stood to look and Molly loved to glare at Sherlock.

"You're making her use numbers for the girls?" She asked and Veronica snorted.

"It's only logical. There are three, 1 was the intended target. 2 was a bonus, and number 3 was a sad accident." Veronica called from the kitchen and Sherlock merely nodded in agreement.

"What else did you two do today?" Molly moved to now take off her jacket and scarf.

"Little undercover work." Sherlock told her and Veronica came back in the room with a bag of chips and glass of water.

"Now that we know the cause of death there are about 14 girls who fit the description of killer. One more day and I can get that down to 1. Just need to see them in class." She shrugged as she smoker eating.

"You are in the girls school? With a killer? Sherlock!" Molly turned to him and he simply looked like he didn't know why she was upset.

"It's not like he can bully teenagers and become a target." Veronica waved it off and she saw Sherlock tense at her words and she looked confused before she saw Molly stand.

"She is not a target! She is our ward Sherlock! That does not give you the right to put her in danger! How are we supposed to have children one day when the one child we now are helping take care of is going to be put in danger!" Molly threw a blanket that had been on her chair at him and turned and stalked to their bedroom before slamming it shut.

"I thought she would have guessed-"

"It's fine Veronica." He told her shortly and she tried not to show any emotion as she noticed he was pissed off. She had broken up one of her mothers relationships once, she had been beaten for her smart mouth.

"I'll go now." She told him softly and stood quietly and quickly went up to her room and shut the door before locking it.

She grabbed the cello and decided to play before the shouting started. She played old classical compositions for more than 3 hours without hearing any arguing.

She broke off when there was a knock on her door and she gulped.

"Veronica, dinner is ready." She heard Molly say through the door.

"I'm okay. Not hungry!" She shouted back before she resumed playing, now focusing more on her playing if no matter what happened outside her door. Only getting peeved when Sherlock pocked it and leaned in the doorway waiting.


	6. Headaches

"Still have a headache from the canteen?" Sherlock asked as she paused between songs.

"No."

"Lie. Come downstairs eat dinner and take something for it." He accused and she just gulped and tried to think of the next song she wanted to play but he moved forward and took the bow from her hands.

"Give it back." She half out her hand for it and he just watched her.

"What is making you so scared to go downstairs? Why did you scurry up here-." He cut himself off before he moved to sit on the bed beside her. "Molly does yell at me a lot. And yes maybe we had a small fight. But I don't hit her, she doesn't hit me. We don't fight for long periods of time. And as cliche as it is going to sound, none of our arguments are your fault." He told her and she just shook her head.

"I spoke out of turn. She got mad at you for what we were doing, I shouldn't have told her." Veronica accepted that he was now lying but when he laughed lightly and shook his head.

"I would have told her our plan anyway. She would have yelled at me if I had said it or not. She's grown to like the fact that she gets to help you. Even if you've been here less than a week." He stood and kept the bow. "Come downstairs and eat."

He walked out and she sighed before setting the cello on her bed and walking down the stairs slowly. She heard Sherlock telling Molly why she didn't want to come down and Molly seemed to panic.

"I knew it was my fault. I told you Sherlock." She moved to sit and as Veronica moved closer to the kitchen Molly froze, gulped hard and bit her lip. "Veronica... I'm sorry I yelled at Sherlock in front of you. But the thought of you already being in danger..."

"It's not your fault. I was conditioned as a child to turn away after making a fight happen, and I was also conditioned never to cause a fight or breakup." She told Molly and she seemed confused. "When I was 8... my sister was 15. Our mom has this boyfriend and I could tell he had other girlfriends... so one morning when we were all having breakfast I called him on it. I think my exact words were 'do any of your other girlfriends have kids I could play with?' He accused my mom of making me snoop through his phone and all these other things, broke up with her on the spot... and my mom got so angry she beat me bloody." She sat down and bit her lip and looked between Molly and Sherlock. "I don't like causing fights because it triggers the memories of my mother." She told them both.

"I didn't mean to-"

"You didn't know Molly. From what I can see neither of you have recieved my file. So, please ask any questions you want to know." She offered out noticing how Molly seemed to try and hide the fact she was about to. RT from Veronica's story.

"What happened to your sister?" Sherlock asked and Molly gave him a look.

"It's fine." She told Molly before looking to Sherlock. "You're going to find out when you get the file but at least now I can see your face when you find out. She worked at a jewelry store, among a couple other places, and one day that place was robbed, and everyone was shot. No one knew why because the tapes showed them all complying and they had everything they wanted. I was in FBI custody and they brought me in." She shrugged and looked around before leaning back.

"They made you solve your sisters murder?" Molly asked and the look of disgust on her face made Veronica confused.

"I wasn't going to let anyone else do it. They thought it was because the guy was an ex lover of someone." She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Anyone looking at the tapes should have known it was the manager. He knew where the emergency switches were, and right before he shot them my sister mouthed his name, and he panicked so be shot her and the two other workers."

"He get caught?" Sherlock asked and Veronica paused and then shook her head.

"But you said you knew who it was." Molly looked between the two before Sherlock moved to rub her shoulder.

"By the time I was brought to the location he had already got cash for everything he stole and boarded a one way flight." Sherlock made a mental note to get Mycroft on that, and then moved to get a plate for her.

"You're eating? On a case?" Molly looked shocked and he looked from her to Veronica before laughing.

"It's for her. Needs food to take the headache stuff." He told her before sliding the plate in front of Veronica with a fork attached.

"How come she can eat and not get slowed down?" Molly asked and he sighed before sitting down as well.

"Because I'm a grown man with a slightly slower metabolism than her." He told her and she just narrowed her eyes.

"Better eat something before she starts yelling again." Veronica tears before taking a large bite of her noodles and white sauce careful not to get it everywhere on her face.

After a stare down Sherlock had a plate of noodles and no sauce because 'starch was enough' for his stomach. Veronica had the meds in her system and she went to sit on the couch and look through the social media again.

Not a lot of people seemed too upset that those girls had died. And not a whole lot were posting about it more than once. Whoever did it either didn't feel guilty or felt too guilty to post about it without making it obvious.

She hadn't even realized that Sherlock was playing his violin until she set her phone down. Molly was sitting at the desk typing away, hair now down indicating she might be getting a headache of her own.

"Are you typing up all the reports?" Veronica asked and crossed her legs on the couch.

"Yeah. He usually reads through them when he gets stuck, and while he likes going all the way down to Bart's I try and write it down here as well so he can go into his kind palace more quickly." Molly kept typing, not always looking at the keys or screen and she noticed the confused look on Veronica's face.

"What his mind palace?" She asked and she heard Sherlock cut off mid song and turn.

"That's right. I was going to try and explain it to you since you took in too much information today." He pointed his bow at her and she just felt confused.

"Well are you going to explain it? Or just say you would?" She asked slowly and Sherlock seems to think.

"When you think of organization do you think files, well kept house, or storage?" He asked her and she took a moment to think.

"Depends on what it is. If it's junk it's storage, if it's important I think files, if it's everything in general I think house." She told him and he looked very impressed.

"Okay... Molly we're going to have to head out for just a bit." He moved to her and gave her a kiss before going for his jacket.

"Can I at least know where you're going?" She asked as she started to type again.

"Mycrofts home. Then Bart's." He told her and waved Veronica on to get her own jacket.

"You're volunteering to go there?" Molly stood now, looking confused.

"Most OCD man I know. It's just for referencing purposes. Shouldn't be more than two hours at most." He shouted as they both started to go down the stairs.

"Why do I need to go to your brothers?"

"I can explain more easily when we get there. Plus he might have something for snack." He added and she laughed lightly before they got to walking. After a couple blocks he hailed a cab and they were on their way to the much more richer side of London.


	7. Mind Palace

"What are you doing here Sherlock?" Mycroft asked as he opened the door. He was still in his suit and tie but the umbrella was gone.

"Just need to look around." He told him and pushed open the door and waved Veronica inside and Mycroft moved around with them.

"Wow... if you were 17 and a girl you would be our prime suspect." Veronica laughed as she looked around. Mycroft has a place for every thing, and there was a lot of signs of him rewarding himself.

"He has a place for every single item... he even tried to help me move into Baker st years ago. Well he hired people to love me in. I made sure that the next time he came to visit nothing was in the place he left it when he did eventually leave." Sherlock looked around and moved from room to room and one after the other he made Veronica memorize it.

Once she had, he moved to take a seat and asked he to do the same. "Why am I memorizing the entire house? I'm sure it will be just like in the catalog next time we have to come for a visit." She teased and while Sherlock laughed light Mycroft seemed peeved and decided to take the time to step away and make a call.

"I have a mind palace. It's where I store everything I know. It can't all just be at the top of the head sometimes. So I've created something using a deep-

"I get that part... but why do I need to picture this house?" She asked catching on quick and looking around.

"It's just something for you to start with. What kind of information would you keep here?" He asked and crossed his legs and watched her think.

"This is relating back to what we talking about like the storage and the house stuff..." She waved her hand and he nodded. "So wait... you need this? It really doesn't just pop into your head as it starts to ring a bell or have a pattern?" She asked and he smirked.

"It used to." He told her and she made a face.

"Wow... is that why you also don't eat. Old age is making you slow?" She asked and he looked impressed by her braze words but quickly realized she didn't care that he might have been insulted.

"So you already have a system of finding things in your mind?" Sherlock asked and she shrugged and nodded. "You see something and everything related just pops up?"

"Yeah." She looked like she was thinking now and he tilted his head.

"Ever get crowded?" He asked and she looked around and then to him.

"Sometimes. Then I remember what my sister used to say when it first started happening." She shrugged and looked around before sighing. "Was Mycroft a good older brother?" She asked him and moved to look at what should have been pictures but turned out to be newspaper clippings of his cases.

"He was decent." Sherlock nodded and watched her look around. There were few pictures of them in both this home and 221 B.

"Would you miss him if he died?" For just a moment Sherlock realized that she was like Euros. Almost like she didn't understand why others feel the way they do.

"Yes." He told her and she seems to think about that and then nodded. "You miss your sister." He told her and she laughed before looking over at him.

"I miss someone I grew up with. I miss the one person who grew up with the same mother I did. I miss my sister because she is the only person who understood me. You and your brother barely tolerate each other. Such a large age gap usually has that effect. Me and my sister were a different circumstance. You both have a set of parents who love you." She explained and didn't realize that Sherlock seemed to start to feel guilty. She kept looking around before she took a deep breath and turned to him.

"I guess we should head back to Baker St." Sherlock announced and she just moved to follow him along.

There was a black car outside and he moved to get into it right away. She slid in beside him and realized he has tensed up.

"She's pretty." Veronica squinted in the dark car and saw a pale face with red lips and a black fur wrap over a white dress.

"What are you doing here?" The tone made Veronica perk up.

"I've come to see what new girl you have in your life." She uncrossed her legs only to make a show of crossing them the other way.

"So you plan to cheat on your wife?" Veronica accused and glared at the other woman.

"What a mouthy little one Sherlock." She clicked her tongue and moved to touch her face but Veronica slapped the hand away.

"Don't you touch me. I don't know you and I already don't like you." She pushed the hand away and she moved her glare on Sherlock before shaking her head. She tuned them out and thought about what to do tomorrow as she goes to school and once she realized they were pulling up at Baker St she pushed open the door and closed it to give the two alone time.

She took the stairs inside two at a time and heard Molly call her name from the kitchen but she just kept going up and around.

Veronica made it to her room and slammed the door before locking it and moving to sit on the bed. She tried not to see everything flashing past her face. The memories of the men her mother used to bring around. The readings of why men and women cheat and sleep around a lot.

She leaned back and took deep breaths and thought about the song her sister would hum. She leaned forward and grabbed the cello and bow before she started to play the theme song from schindlers list.

It used to make her sister cry listening to it. Veronica played well into the early hours, trying her best to banish all of the things her head wouldn't keep away and when she did fall asleep she seemed to just close her eyes before her phone set off the alarm.

She got dressed and pulled her hair into a high preppy ponytail and went to open the door. She went downstairs and was surprised to see Molly and Sherlock kissing in the kitchen.

She clenched her jaw and tried to keep her mouth shut as she looked for something to eat.

"Do you want me to drop you at the school today Veronica?" Molly asked pushing Sherlock away and wiping at her mouth.

"No! I'll take her." Sherlock rushed out loudly and she turned to glare at him.

"Are we going to get a ride from that chick from last night? I don't think I got her name." She challenged and he glared.

"What chick? Anthea is back already?" She asked Sherlock and moved to take sips from the coffee.

"No not her." Sherlock told her and shifted his body away and seemed to want to go in the other room. "It was Irene Adler." He told her and she seems confused.

"I remember having an Irene Adler on my slab Sherlock. She didn't have a face and you knew her from... not her face." Molly places a hand on her stomach and looked as if she was going to be sick.

"Yes. She's also... not dead." He told her and she rolled her eyes and looked over to Veronica.

"I would like you to drop me off today Molly, if you have time." She told Molly and she just nodded.

"You eat and I will go and get all of my papers for the day... and then we can go." Molly ordered and she nodded before Molly pushed her way out of the room and Sherlock was quick to follow.

"Molly-"

"You knew her naked body Sherlock. Simply looked at it, said it was her, and then I remember exactly that you left the room like any grieving parent lover or husband would leave. Then Mycroft said it was a danger night." She steamed out as she got to the bathroom and as she got inside she slammed the door in his face.

As Molly brushed her teeth and ran her hair back into a simple low ponytail before opening the door and shaking her head at Sherlock since he was leaning on the opposite wall waiting.

"I met her with John... she was naked. When I met her I had to open a safe. John was at gun point so I had to deduce quickly. It was 6 digits and she said she had already told me the answer. I realized it was her three sets of measurements." He told her, keeping hold of her elbow and holding her tight until she stopped and faced him.

"And why didn't you tell me she was actually alive? Why didn't you tell me that she gave you and Veronica a ride home last night?" She asked and when he didn't answer right away she moved away from him and towards the front door. "Veronica!" She called out as she got her jacket on before her scarf.

"Ready." She trotted down the stairs wiping her mouth since she had also quickly brushed her teeth. She got a bag over her shoulder and it only had a notebook and a couple pens.

"Molly!" Sherlock called and with a quick motion Veronica was hustled out of the apartment and they both rushed down the stairs. "I will be having lunch with you Molly! And picking Veronica up after school!" He shouted from the top before the doors closed.

Molly walked all the way to the tube, having looked up the way to get to the school last night while they were out. They took a train and as they walked Molly tried to keep in all of the emotions.

"Molly can I ask you something that is going to further upset you for the day but will help me get the killer to try and strike again?" Veronica asked and Molly turned with fake bright eyes and smile to her.

"Veronica you can ask me anything." Molly said and Veronica just took a deep breath.

"Please just call me Ronnie. And as for my question... I know you must have been bullied as a kid... I'm not going to point out the signs because even you must know that I was bullied... but I need to know what the mean girls said about you. You know in high school." Veronica explained and paused on the steps leading up.

"Well I wore reading glasses... I wore my hair in braided pigtails, also had jumpers with little anime characters on it. I was the odd ball. Still am, but I learned to love that about myself. I did have control of my acne and grades." She pointed out and Veronica smiled.

"Okay. Molly..." She looked from the school to Molly and then down. "I don't know much about Sherlock and that lady. But I know he doesn't cheat. He takes commitment seriously. If you were doubting his faithful-"

"Ronnie I don't doubt him. But the facts he keeps from me irritate me beyond anything he will ever do." Molly rubbed her arm and gave her a small real smile.

"And this woman... you're okay with him getting rides from her? Should I tell you if I see her again? Should I make sure I tell you what they talk about? Spy?" Molly felt so touched that Ronnie wanted to protect her and felt like she was a little worried over nothing but she simply smiled wider and gulped.

"I have my ways of getting Sherlock to tell me every detail. However if you do run into Irene again and he doesn't tell me right away when I see you both... bring it up." She advised and Ronnie nodded. "Now... have a good day at school, find the killer, ans try not to get hurt." She moved in quick, just a reflex and gave her a hug before backing away and waving as Ronnie turned and ran up the stairs.

Molly headed back to the trains and took one in Bart's direction and got to work in some surgery issue dead bodies and wondered when Sherlock would arrive for their lunch.


	8. Johns opinion

Sherlock paced the entire hallways after getting dressed. He was waiting for the right time to head to Bart's and try and explain to Molly that he didn't want anything to do with the case Irene had tried to get him to work on.

It was something stupid that had to do with her family and how she wanted to find out who her father was. It made no sense to Sherlock, just took up valuable time.

Sherlock paced and paced before going to the window to play. He heard feet on the stairs and he paused and turned as John walked in, Rosie on his hip.

"What are we doing today?" John asked as he went to set Rosie down and sit in his chair.

"Waiting for noon to roll around so I can actually have an excuse to see my wife." He told John and started to pace faster.

"And where is the mini you? Sleeping still?" John asked as he leaned back, almost enjoying the moment.

"She's at the school." Sherlock told him shortly. He was angry that she had brought up Irene to Molly, but at the same time he racked up another fact about her. She trusted Molly over anyone else. She liked her a lot more than she liked Sherlock. And she was repulsed by the thought of cheating.

"She is going to a school then?" John asked leaning forward like he couldn't believe it.

"She's at the victims school. Undercover, trying to find the killer." He waved John off and kept pacing.

"You sent a child into-"

"She isn't a child. She might not have my age. It her mind is as superior as mine, could be more than Mycrofts with the right training and environment." He explained and shook his head.

"Why does it sound like your angry?" John asked and Sherlock ruffled his hair and kept pacing. "Tell me."

"Irene Adler is alive." He decided to start there and he saw the shock on Johns face.

"She isn't her mother right? I mean Irene can't have had your child-"

"She is not Veronica's mother. She's also not my child. Irene somehow picked her and I up at Mycrofts last night undetected. She needs my help, Veronica told Molly... and I was not given the opportunity to fully explain. Which is why I am waiting for noon." He told John and shook his head, hating a little bit that he had to explain that.

"Molly didn't know? Didn't she handle Irene Adlers autopsy?" John asked crossing his arms and watching as Sherlock gave a quick nod. "And you never told her-

"The only thing Molly knew about Adler is that I knew her from not her face. I saw her naked body the moment we met, I had to use it to save your life! Of course I knew what it looked like." He was more talking to himself and John waited as he paced and explained everything that happened and what Irene wanted and he just sat there with Rosie eventually climbing into his lap to sit.

"And When is Veronica due back?" John asked as Sherlock seemed to simmer down.

"After school is out." He shrugged and just as he went to pace again his phone rang and he looked interested and answered. "This is he."

"Hello Mr. Holmes, were just calling to let you know the girl you signed up for the school, she is no longer on school grounds." The receptionist told him and he felt confused.

"What do you mean? The headmaster sis she would not kick her out-"

"No one kicked her out sir. She stated that the English class she was in was too boring and left. The teacher called right away but we can't find her on school grounds." She added and Sherlock sighed.

"I understand, I will get to looking for her right away. Tomorrow she will not make such outbursts and she will be a good student." It was a bad lie but the lady ate it up and told him to have a good day. He hung up quickly and called Bart's to talk to Molly.

"The morgue." Her voice was sullen and he gulped.

"Veronica left school grounds. Middle of class, is she headed your way?" He asked outright and she started to panic and talk about how she didn't make any plans to have her at the lab and that she had no texts or miss calls from her number and Sherlock sighed.

"John and I will go out looking around the school, you let security know she is welcome and hopefully she will turn up." Sherlock told her and he was already making hand movements so John would go and leave Rosie with Mrs. Hudson.

They got their jackets on soon after Molly hung up to call the security desk and they hailed a cab quickly u til they got to school.

John ended up paying for the ride and was running after Sherlock the entire way and he started to deduce. He walked around the shops that surrounded the areas John doing the same the opposite way Sherlock started and they met in the middle.

At lunch he headed to Bart's and John went to tell Lestrade to make a missing persons runaway report and after three hours Sherlock told his brother about her disappearance and he got people on it.

Molly got home after a long day, tears in her eyes wondering if it was their conversation that made Veronica skip out. Thinking back she should have never asked or accepted anything about her being a spy. It wasn't her place to do that.

She got to their flat and paused when she heard music coming from upstairs. It was Phantom of the Opera again.

Molly took out her phone and sent a message to Sherlock that she was at Baker St and that she was in her room. She had to have gotten here after they left and Molly slowly made her way up and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Veronica called out and Molly pushed open the door slowly. "Hey, I've been waiting to tell Sherlock about what happened at school but he hasn't been here all day."

"Ronnie, the school called and said you skipped, and he's been looking for you. I thought that maybe what we talked about actually upset you and I'm sorry if it did-"

"Moly you didn't upset me. He thought I ran away?"

She asked and crossed her arms slowly and while Molly nodded she just nodded back. "Is there going to be a dinner? I'm hungry and I was not eating that nasty food they had." She told Molly with a gag and shudder.

"I can have him pick something up on his way home. Italian Okay?" She asked and Ronnie nodded.

"Anything honestly." She told her and picked her bow back up. "Any favorite songs?"

"I like mostly classics." She told Ronnie and watched as she set her fingers and started to play.

Molly could tell in an instant when Sherlock was hurt, and she knew that Ronnie was hurt by Sherlock's assumptions of her running away. She looked almost defeated.

Molly types away on her phone their orders and told Sherlock that she had found something out and that is why she left the school.

Sherlock took less than 40 minutes to get home and when he did he heard Molly and Veronica talking upstairs and John coming up with Rosie now with him.

He got the table set, ignoring Johns shock as he did so and after 5 more minutes they were both coming down the stairs and Veronica moved to sit by John and made sure Molly sat next to her.

"What is it that you needed to tell me?" Sherlock asked and she finished chewing her first bite.

"It could also be a teacher." She told him quick and didn't really explain. She ate quickly and excused herself for a shower and didn't make eye contact with anyone as she passed then with clothes to change into when she came back down.

"So, what am I supposed to do?" Sherlock asked the two people in front of him and Molly just shrugged.

"Ask her if she is angry with you. When she says yes, because we all know she is, ask why. When she tells you every bit of it, say how sorry you are. Find a way to relate to what she's says and then change how you think about her. Just like you wouldn't leave a case, I don't think would either. She wants to find out who did this as much as you do." John said before standing with Rosie. "In my opinion she's more like you than you think Sherlock."


	9. Like her

Sherlock tried to get her to talk, every time she came out of her room for food over the weekend. Then Monday rolled around and he had to get ready to see Euros so he couldn't waste time in the morning. It would have to be in the evening.

She cane downstairs and watched him though. He was up and putting his violin in a case and she was leaning against the wall, watching him. He knew she was getting things to use against him if she ever needed it and he let her.

However Veronica was more curious as to why he was so nervous to go and see his sister. Made her want to tag along, but he hadn't tried hard enough to make up for his distrust in her. They hadn't even talked about why she knew a teacher could have also killed the three students.

Turns out one teacher and three bullied girls live close enough to have all done it, and suspicion was only going to get them so far.

Veronica knew another day with the teacher and students might turn up a better pool but she wanted to go with Sherlock. She wanted to meet Euros.

"Does she like new people?" She asked Sherlock making him pause.

"Yes."

"Would she like me?" He turned now, staring and assessing her. "Can I meet her?"

"No." He told her out right and she crossed her arms. "Why would you even want to?"

"I just figured that if you didn't trust me to go to the school alone I could just tag along with you." She snapped and moved to get her backpack. "Have fun playing with your sister then." She slammed the door on her way down and Sherlock pinched his nose and groaned.

She was gone by the time he headed down and got into a cab. He didn't want her to see Euros, and he wasn't sure Euros would actually like her. She might see her as a threat that she needed to kill off.

He sat in the cab, sat in the helicopter and the. Sat outside the sell Euros was in, not going in just yet and trying to school his emotions and make sure she would not see any part of him being distracted.

He went inside, violin at the ready and played as he walked, she turned and watched him and eventually got up as well and grabbed her own from the far table and started to play in sync.

She played a song next and he followed her lead. She was assessing him, looking him over and even as he tried to hide it, she saw that he had someone new in his life. Someone he didn't talk about. She stopped playing even as he carried on and she sat down, tilted her head and waited.

He stopped before long and started to pace. "Her name is Veronica. She's like us, her brain is. Mycroft calls her my ward. She's 17 and an American. She stopped working for them because no one believed her rape accusations and no one would hunt down her sisters murderer. She is closed off but willing to work with me. She likes criminal case work. She's actually undercover at a school trying to find out who killed three young girls with laced weed." He went on to tell her all the facts he had racked up about her and she. He was through he told Euros about how she was angry with him for not trusting her and thinking she had run away.

"I want to meet her." She spoke, and Sherlock took a long pause, almost like he couldn't believe that she had. He looked her over wondering if it would even help.

"Like I said she's at a school-" he stopped talking when she stood and moved towards her bed. "I will get her, but it will take time, maybe by this afternoon." He told her and she just nodded and stayed on the bed.

Sherlock left her and ordered the helicopter to come back and the long trip made it feel like seconds as he went into his mind palace and made plans of getting Veronica and her cello.

He got to the school and as she was escorted to the office she seemed surprised to see him. "She's spoken... she wants to meet you." He told her in the cab ride to Baker St.

"Does that mean you talked about little ole me?" She asked and smirked as he seemed worried or confused.

They got her cello and went back to the helicopter to take it back. She sat on it like less than a week ago and watched the ocean from the side. It was something she did on plane rides as well, just watched out of the window. Not scared or worried, just something to focus on so her mind wouldn't get overwhelmed.

They landed and she waited as Sherlock had to unlock every door with a key card and then she was face to face with a woman whose eyes shifted over her entire body, she was looking and seeing just as Sherlock had, but she made it obvious.

She walked forward, not afraid or worried and Sherlock set down her cello and moved the be between them. "This is Veronica, and this is Euros." He introduces and he watched his sister go and pick up her violin

Veronica simply watched as she started to play and she did play beautifully. Her posture was correct, her fingers were elegant, the bow was never misused.

She stopped and looked right to Veronica and then to the cello case.

She took the signal and went to set up, pushing her hair back and she started to play, something of her own and she watched as Euros went to the ground, crossing her legs and watching.

"Your sister loved you." She told her and while Sherlock was again shocked that she wa speaking Veronica just nodded.

"Your brother loves you still." She told Euros and Veronica waited for anything else.

"Together." She grabbed her violin, still sitting down she started to play Bach and Veronica followed her lead and after a moment Sherlock joined as well. All three were playing and it went on for hours and while Veronica felt like the odd one out, she also felt welcomed.

When they stopped Euros gave a pointed look at Sherlock and then the door. He paused and she moved to turn away but Sherlock took a couple stripes and told her they would only have 3 minutes alone.

Veronica stood and nodded to Sherlock before the doors opened and she knew she was going to be okay. She stood there, watching Euros as the doors closed again and she waited.

"He can't trust you because of me." She spoke and started to play with her hair.

"But I am not you." Veronica stated even though she knew Euros point.

"He doesn't trust Mycroft and he doesn't trust me. He can't trust anyone with our mind power. He thinks he can help you." Euros smirked and Veronica was wondering if she was going to make a play.

"Should I let him help me even if he can never trust me? Or should I cut my losses and head to America." She knew the moment she said that something set Euros off.

"You will stay with Sherlock! He needs to do this." She told her and Veronica waited. "I ruined our family. I wanted someone to play with so badly that I did something wrong without knowing how it would effect him." She started to sound scared and Veronica moved closer to the glass. "You have to let him help you before he hates me again. If he hates me I will have no one all over again. I will be alone with myself." She turned and ran a hand through her hair and kept repeating she would be alone again.

"Then he can help me a way he should have always been able to help you." Veronica touched the glass and loud sirens went off and the doors behind her opened automatically and Sherlock stepped in slowly and saw Euros away from the glass.

"There are no signs to not touch the glass." She told him and took a step back. By the time the sirens were off Euros was sitting on her bed, crying and rocking back and forth with her hands over her ears.

"We will go now, and visit when the case is done, shouldn't be more than a week." Sherlock told her once she calmed down. He had splayed a lullaby for her and she was relaxing.

"Veronica too." She glared at him and he nodded.

"As long as I don't get hacked into tiny pieces by the killer I will come." Veronica told her and Euros smiled at the joke and even giggled a little before they left.

"I like her." She whispered to herself as she hummed and her lights turned out. She hummed and closer her eyes until she was asleep and then she dreamed of the day she will see them again to play.


	10. Dealers and favors

"So what did you find out today?" Molly asked ass he set some food on the table, relaxing as she noticed Ronnie and Sherlock were comfortable around each other finally.

They had arrived home and she could only guess that they made up some time this morning. She knew they were comfortable after only a couple seconds of being in the flat.

"He took me to-"

"School and we talked about what I needed to do. Like John said. Easy." Sherlock gulped hard and as Molly smiled at them. Veronica waited until her back was turned as she said something about the bathroom and she shifted her eyes to Sherlock.

"Do you always lie to your wife? Or is it just something I need to know?" She was becoming hostile again and Sherlock had to calm his irritation.

"I didn't tell Molly about Irene because I told her that I wouldn't take the case, and I don't tell Molly about Euros because it upsets her. She didn't ask me how my day went because she knows what I did, she asked you. So please, don't upset her by telling her I let you go. She will throw it out of proportion like when she learned I let you go undercover. And don't tell John either." He added and she nodded slowly.

"How did you find John?" Veronica asked and he smirked and shook his head before he started the story of their first case.

Molly came back into the kitchen and listened to the story she already knew and ate, making sure that Sherlock ate what she had dished him.

Sherlock then told Veronica about he met Molly, and Lestrade and while it was entertaining Molly seemed to want to know about the case.

"Who do you think did it?" She asked Veronica after the moved to sit in the main room. Sherlock was in his chair, Molly in Johns, and Ronnie was across from both on the couch and she just relaxed.

"I think it's a two party incident. I think their dealers laced the weed, accident or not, and someone found them and cut them. Can't really tell if the two are related unless we find out who the dealers are for their weed." She shrugged and looked at the wall and seemed to think more.

"Any idea who their dealer could be?" Molly asked her and she sighed.

"We'd have to get into their routine in school, have to get their phones. Look at their lockers, dig up dirt." Sherlock told Molly and Ronnie snorted making both adults look over at her.

"I could walk up to any stoner tomorrow and ask where they get their stash. I'm not an adult remember. Just means I'm going to need some cash to buy my own supply soon." She bounced her eyebrows and Sherlock shook his head and looked towards the fireplace. "What?"

"You will not buy drugs." He told her and she sighed.

"Why not? Because-"

"Because I said no. I will not have you buy or take any drugs-"

"I said nothing about taking drugs." She spoke loud and clear, standing now and Sherlock turned his eyes to her.

"I said no. You can get a name and then you're done."

"I say when I am done! I am not a child you can-"

"You are a child! You are under age! You are in school! You are under my roof." Sherlock shouted louder then her and she shook her head and Molly slowly stood up and made her way to stand in front of Sherlock. "If you touch one drug substance-"

"Careful Sherlock. Don't become a hypocrite." She cut him off and shook her head. "You think for even one second I would take drugs or drink alcohol after the upbringing I had? I get that you don't trust me because of what we're your sister did to you... but I am not her, and I am not you. Leave me the hell alone." She moved to get her jacket and shrugged it on before heading for the door.

"Where do you think you're going!" He shouted after her and she rolled her eyes before looking back.

"Out to find a crack pipe to smoke!" She bit out before jogging down the stairs and slamming the front door and jogging down the street. She turned and turned and somehow found herself in a park.

She went to sit under a tree and she kept warm as the wind blew hard. She sat three for what felt like hours before she heard heels walking up on the cobblestone on the other side of the tree.

"If I recall your name is Veronica." She heard the same voice as the night she went to Mycorfts last week.

"Irene Adler." She stood on cold wobbly legs and turned to face the woman in a fur coat. "Keeping tabs on me?"

"You, Sherlock, John... even Molly." She smirked and looked her up and down. "Shall we talk in the warm car?" She walked away anyway and Veronica followed slowly catching up, not wanting to seem too eager.

"Where are we going?" She asked since as soon as the doors were closed they started moving.

"To my home. It's private and you can relax there." She told Veronica and looked her up and down. "What's got you so unhappy? It's not a good look for someone so young." She clicked her tongue and shook her finger as she leaned back.

"Sherlock got me angry, so I left." She told her and Irene smirked.

"He's made me angry recently as well. What shall we do to get back at him?" Irene seemed all for getting back at him and Veronica seemed more suspicious of what she wanted.

"What do you want with me?" She asked and crossed her arms.

"I wanted Sherlock to help me find out who my father is. He declined. Now... now I have a woman who I have learned might need what I do, and more." She smiled and tilted her head. "You know where that man who murdered your sister is don't you?" She asked and Veronica gulped and looked out the window. "I can get someone to take care of that for you."

"I don't take hits out on people-"

"It would be all me. Consider it a favor." Irene stopped her and smiled. "You wouldn't be involved other than simply helping me. You can even deny knowing I did it for you after you help me."

"And you just want me to find your father... and what will you do to him once you find him? Kill him for not being around?"

"Is that what you would do to the man who left your mother pregnant with you?" She asked Veronica quickly and they both remained quiet for the remainder of the ride.

Everything was flashing through Veronica's mind. Things that could happen, what she could do, what would happen to the relationship she and Sherlock had if she helped Irene. She thought about Molly and John and the fact that Molly was trying to have a baby and John actually has a baby.

She sat there in the car and tried to deduce Irene for what her real motives were but she didn't get far.

They got to a newly remodeled townhouse and Irene lead her through the first couple rooms before she told someone to get a room ready and clothes for me. She set the papers out that she had concerning any clues she had of her father and Veronica looked them over slowly.

She got to the last page before there was banging on the front door and Irene pulled a pistol from a side drawer and told her to sit still.

Someone else had answered and let the person in, and when Sherlock walked into the room with his coat on and a furious expression she just sat there like Irene let her.

"Get up and get out to the car." He told Veronica slowly and she just sat there. "You heard me-"

"You don't get to just order me around Sherlock. I do what I want when I want to do it. You give me no trust and treat me like a five year old." She shifted her eyes from him to Irene, to the pillow she now had the gun under, and then back to him. He narrowed his eyes and she cocked an eyebrow and he just nodded.

"And you got her to do your biding. You plucked her form the street and brought her here to help you. You deal out favors for a living Irene... what kind of deal did she give you?" He turned and looked at Veronica before he seemed to deduce it.

"Something no straight and narrow consulting detective could offer her." Irene spoke and he turned to look at her.

"How could you possibly know about her sister?" He asked and she laughed, letting go of the gun and crossing her arms.

"You think I didn't get her file the second I knew who she was? I had her pinned down the second I finished it. I can offer her the one thing you can't and that is revenge." She pointed her finger and for just a moment Sherlock was worried about what Veronica would actually need and want to do.

"Did you now?" Veronica asked moving closer to her with a smile, pretending to be impressed.

"Yeah... also have a hunch you might want to kill the man yourself." She added and gave a wink before Sherlock got to the pillow and uncovered the gun.

"Can we go now?" Veronica dropped her happy facade and crossed her arms and sighed.

"Yes." Sherlock told her as he took out the clip and already loaded bullet and tossed it to the other side of the room. "How did she even find you?" He asked and while Irene was screaming for their attention only one of them made Veronica pause.

"By the way... your father is probably dead. Like long dead. Which is why you didn't know him. He seemed to want to take care of you." She gave her that food for thought as she closed the front door.

"Let's head back to Baker St. Molly threw a fit when you left-"

"I'm done Sherlock. I would rather go back to prison than live and work with a man who could never trust me because he doesn't ever try. So send me back and maybe Euros and I can have a couple play dates." She told him as she got into the awaiting cab.

Veronica had it with talks of drug dealers, and favors. She just wanted to have a little peace and quiet again.


	11. SherlockandhisMini

I walked into the house, Molly was up and rushing me, turning my head every way possible before signing and backing off. "Do you have any idea how worried I've been?"

I felt a little confused before remembering that she gets very attached too quickly. "I was picked up by Irene Adler." I slowly pushed away her hands and looked back to Sherlock. "You have 12 hours to decide if you trust me or not. If it's going to be a no... send for Mycroft in the morning and he will do whatever he wants with me."

I turned and climbed the stairs to my temporary room and pulled the cello onto my lap. I strummed a few notes before grabbing the bow and closing my eyes.

I played the song I made for my sister. One that told our story. I played it for her on her birthday just a couple months before she was even working at the damn jewelry store.

I played until my fingers hurt and then I crawled into bed. I might have been dreaming but I was really just replaying all my memories.

I woke up and sat in bed, thinking things through. Collecting all the data from my school and the crime scene, and then coming up with only two options. It would all come down to pressure points.

I got up and ready for the school day, pushing on into the downstairs. Seeing Molly just leaving in a slow walk, not even hearing me.

I got a bagel and waited for it to toast before gathering my things to head out. I got closer to the door out when I heard Sherlock moving around a bit.

I headed out, noticing John Watson on the street heading towards the apartment and I kept my head down, glad he hadn't tried to get to know me, at least not enough to recognize me on the street.

I got on the busses, got to the school, just in time. I saw my two targets actually talking to each other in a classroom, one more frantic than the other and I went to the office, made a call.

I waited and waited and before Greg walked in, four officers and Sherlock and John trailing behind him.

"Where's the proof?" Greg asked me when I told him who did it and waited.

"You really need proof?" I asked knowing the US just took my word on it and made the arrest and then looked for signs to pin on them.

"That would be ideal yes." Greg looked from me to Sherlock and I sighed.

"Make the girl talk. Give her some kind of deal or something. She's over 18, no parent needed. She's frantic. Needs an out." I told him and shrugged before digging my hands in my pockets. "You can call your brother now." I handed it over to Sherlock and he looked irritated before shaking his head.

"Don't need to. I trust you, if I didn't I would of followed you out of the house this morning when you were trying to be quiet." He told me and I just waited.

"So if it had come down to me asking about drugs... would you of let me?"

"Drugs?" John asked loudly causing all of us to look at him. "Sherlock-"

"We will talk about this at Baker Street, let's go." He waves me along and I moved between Sherlock and John, out the front doors of the school where some reporters were already waiting.

They got my picture, got me getting into a cab with Sherlock, and by the time we were home I could just guess how many people and reporters would be saying I was his illegitimate child.

With my hair and eye color I could be his, but the age difference was all wrong.

I got through the front doors, laid back on the couch and waited.

"You tried to lecture her about drugs?" John sounded amused and I waited for them to hash it out.

"Would you expect me to encourage her." Sherlock snapped and I sighed and paused before trying to ignore them.

"You're just getting -"

"Shut up. Both of you." I shouted at the grown men acting like teenagers. "Im going out." I called out and made a short look to Sherlock and he nodded and looked to John as if they would join me. "You two can argue the entire time I'm gone. I'm going for a walk." I moved to get out and Sherlock followed, then John.

I huffed, pulled up my coat and wrapped it tight around me and started to walk away, keeping ahead of them and when we got closer to the end of Baker St. I saw a woman holding out a puppy like she was trying to give it up.

"I can't keep him, puppy?" She asked me and I looked at the little brown eyes and nodded before taking it.

"What kind is he?" I asked the lady and Sherlock took the pup from my arms and raised it so he could see it's teeth, then he checked his ears and then gave it a pet.

"Pure Irish setter. My son got him and he just lost his job so we can't keep him." The woman said and seemed hopeful we would take him but was waiting around to see if I would have permission or if Sherlock would say no.

"He's fine." Sherlock handed him back to me. I held him all the way back home, not caring that John had given the woman money for her troubles to "help out" as I walked on.

The puppy was in my arms, wiggling around, shaking when the wind blew hard. I held it right as we got to 221 B and walked up between Sherlock and John. "Now you have a daughter and a dog..." John whispered as they sat down and I held the puppy in my arms.

"I am not his daughter." I glared at John and he looked at me with wide eyes.

"Then what are you?" He asked and I gulped.

"Well she's not mine... I'm just the adoptive parent." Sherlock raised papers and I got up and took them. Looking over and seeing that I really was in his custody now. His and Molly's.

"Therefore you're technically her father." John smirked and then smiled at me. "Welcome to the family." He told me and I rolled my eyes.

"Why didn't Mycroft take me in?" I asked knowing I could of easily lived with the elder brother and work with Sherlock.

"Thought it was obvious." Sherlock looked at me and I paused and tried to come to a conclusion.

"I can think of three reasons but not sure which it really is." I told him with a shrug and he turned towards me and seemed to wait. "To prepare you or make you realize you don't want kids of your own, because he loves being alone in his giant house, and last but not least, because you need me somehow."

"Why not all three?" John asked as he moved to look through the emails on his laptop. "Shall we get to work."

"Ask her, I'm going to Bart's." Sherlock said and looked towards me. "Pick up some things to experiment on. Want anything?"

"Fingers." I shrugged knowing I always wanted to see what could be used to 'change' the prints with the least amount of scaring.

"Got it."

"Sherlock... what if she doesn't know?" John asked and I tried not to giggle and simply waited.

"Then move on. I'll get to it." John nodded, looked to me, and then shifted his knees to face me.

I kept the puppy on my tummy and let it sleep.

"I'll pick up some dog things on the way there. Most people don't like when I walk around a shop with a bag of fingers." Sherlock threw out just before walking out.

"Soo, lets get started. Hi, my name is Ana I am a cyclist and now every morning when I go out my tires run low. I live in north-"

"Just tell me if it's a good or bad side of town. I won't know it until I see it." I told him and he nodded before looking back at the email.

"It's a good neighborhood. Says it only started happening since last week. She's been cycling for 6 months-"

"New boyfriend deflates them." I cut him off and shrugged.

"She doesn't mention a boyfriend."

"Could be a FWB. Ask her if she has a male friend... or even a female friend." I told him and he paused before writing back.

"Why do you think it's someone letting out air?"

"So she stops getting fit and doesn't leave or look for someone else." I rolled my eyes. "They probably already think she's found someone else, which is why she's working out more."

"I worked out when I got married-"

"Yeah? What happened?"

"What?"

"Were you not getting enough action? The most common reason men start to work out after being happy with someone is because they're sexually frustrated or unhappy." I told him and he seemed conflicted so I shrugged.

"Sherlock... at the time... went on a month long binge." He told me and I heard the laptop close. "It's why he wants you no where near drugs." He told me and I felt three years old again.

"My mother was not only an alcoholic but she used drugs... sometimes in front of us, sometimes we could just tell." I sat up and looked at him. "Me and my sister, when she was alive, promised each other... no drinking and no drugs. Ever. She might be dead but I have no need to break that promise. That side of things do not appeal to me."

"So what do you do when you get bored?" He asked and I clenched my jaw and looked around.

"I read up on unsolved cases, try to get all the information on it that I can. Try to solve it." I shrugged and he seemed to be curious.

"Did you solve some of the US cold cases?" I nodded and answered more emails and solved the 'cases' as John called them and then I was done and bored and I decided to try and think of a name for the puppy.

He was a red of course, being Irish Setter, but his eyes were as black as soot and he was obviously the smallest puppy of the litter. He was a little malnourished and seemed to sleep a lot compared to other puppies that should be playful.

"So what are you going to call him?" John asked as soon as I landed on a name.

"Hypnos." I told him and ran a hand down the puppies back, head to tail and he woke up and wagged his tail.

"Hypnosis?" John asked like he didn't hear me and I looked up and shook my head.

"Hypnos was the god of the night in Ancient Greece." I corrected and he nodded slowly before looking at the puppy.

"Sherlock used to think he had one as a kid." John said and I felt too confused to touch that subject. But John dived in anyways. Told me all about Mycroft messing with Sherlock at a young age so he though he had a dog called red beard that was actually his childhood best friend. It was how Sherlock forgot all about Euros.

"Well he's got a dog now." I shrugged and continued petting the dog.

"Molly was more of a cat person. Said something once about them living longer." John told me and I shrugged. They didn't have a cat now. There wasn't any sign of a cat in the places I've seen in the apartment. But knowing Molly she probably had a picture somewhere in the bedroom and saw it everyday.

I got Hypnos to play after proding him a bit and I let him nip my fingers and growl and even bark at me. It wasn't long before Sherlock was coming up the stairs, a bag of food over one shoulder and a small bag in his other hand.

"Molly said the only thing she won't put up with is fleas." Sherlock walked right to me, plopping down and the digging through the bag.

"That can't be all she said." John called out from his chair where he had taken up reading something in the papers.

"She also said something about how it's unfair there are two dog people in the flat now." Sherlock shrugged before taking Hypnos from where I was playing with him and slipping on two separate collars before he set him down again.

"Well I'm about done with the title of this last case." John laughed then before pulling the laptop back into his knees.

"What are you calling this one?" Sherlock sighed and I could tell that he wasn't all that interested.

"Well since the press got some pictures I was going to clear up rumors... but I'll do that in the blog, and the title is... he clicked on a few things rather happily before turning to show the two of us.

"Sherlock and his Mini?! I have a name you know?" I asked and he nodded and looked at the two of us before shrugging.

"The first tidbit is, her name is Veronica, she's not his daughter but a teenager from America. She has the smarts of Sherlock yet the manners of his new wife. Very soon she will officially be Veronica Holmes because she's being adopted into the family."

"Worst title ever." Sherlock muttered and I rolled my eyes in agreement.

"Well it's published. I'm not changing it."


End file.
